Self-service display and storage case



Aug.24,194s. M. D. MMMASTER 2,447,760v

SELF SERVICE DISPLAY AND STORAGE CASE l 2 SheQts-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 12, 1945 A from/5y ug. 24, 1948. M. n. Mach/:ASTER 21,447,750

` l SELF SERVICE DISPLAY AND STORAGE CASE Filed Dec. 12, 11.945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 54 5 40 uuuuuuuuuuuuuluuuu uuuu/uuuuuu '62 25 yf# f6 l OOO &

Patenaa Aug. 24,1948

SELF-SERVICE DISPLAY AND STORAGE CASE Malcolm D. Minimum. Woodside, Pa.. signor to C. V. Hill Company, Inc., Trenton, N. J., avcorporation of New Jersey Applicaties December 12, 194s. semi No.' 634,501

This application relates to improvements or modifications in the type of refrigerated cases shown and described in my copending application Serial N0. 415,684, filed October 20, 1941, and

Serial No. 554,678, flied' September 18, 1944, now Patent No. 2,421,896, issued June l0, 1947.

My invention relates to refrigerated self service display and storage cases and particularly to constructions in which there is `an upper display space that is open at the top for access to customers and through which cooled and relatively dry air is positively circulated about the goods on display. l

Self service display cases which are open at the top for access to the customers are now used extensively for the display of vegetables wherein the condensation of moisture on the refrigerated products serves to maintain them in a moist fresh condition. In some instances open type display cases have been used for the display of meats and dairy products, but the condensation of moisture on such products is most objectionable. In

an eifort to overcome this diiculty certain open type display cases have been designed to decrease the iow of warm moist -air into contact with the articles on display. One very effective construction of this type is shown and described in the patent to Caulk et al. 'No. 2,382,937. However. the circulation of air within the storage space of such cases is effected by means of a thermo syphon and therefore is relatively slow, irregular and difficult to control. The operationfof such cases therefore may be adversely affected by external influences such as varying climatic conditions and by the formation of eddy currents in the corners of the display space or about articles stacked therein. Prior constructions havepresented further difficulties `because of the limited capacity of the display space and the fluctuations in tempera ture which occur when additional goods are supplied to thedisplay space.

In accordance with my invention these objections to constructions of the priorart are reduced or eliminated and refrigerated self service cases are provided which are open at the top foraccess to the customers Vand yet are cooled substantially uniformly and maintained at a desired temperature even when new products are supplied to the display space. At the same time goods on display are maintained in a dry sanitary condition and the desired consistency of operation and high refrigerating emciency of the case is maintained.

These advantages are preferably attained by providing the display case with air circulating means including a passage having inlet and outlet openings both of which are locatedbelow the upper edges of the side walls o'f the display space together with means arranged to circulate air positively through the display space and upwardly about the articles on display. The structure furlther includes means for directing cooled air in heat exchanging relation with a storage chamber and for distributing and controlling the flow of air through the display space.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide refrigerated self service display cases with improved means for cooling and circulating the air within the display space. A

Another object of my invention is to provide self service display cases with means for controlling the distribution and flow of air within the display space so as to maintain the products in a dry, sanitary condition.

A further object of my invention is to insure consistent operation of self service display cases under all conditions of operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide self service display cases with an upper display space. a lower storage chamber, and common means for cooling the air in both the display space and the storage chamber.

These and other objects and features of my invention will appear from the following description thereof in which reference is made to the figures of the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a typical self service display case embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the case illustrated in Fig.`1 taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 3 is a transverse'vertical sectional view of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1 taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through an alternative construction embodying my invention.

In that form of my invention chosen for D111? poses of illustration in the drawings a self service display and storage case is providedv with an upper display space 2 and a lower storage chamber 4 separated by an imperforate member 6 formed of sheet metal or other heat conducting material. A member 8 in the form of a slatted or perforate support, preferably-made of sheet material, forms the bottom of the display space 2 and cooperates with the member 6 to form an air chamber l0 through which cooled air may be circulated over the member 6 for cooling the storage space 4 and upwardly through the openings in the member 8 to cool the articles in the display space.

The display space 2 has a front wall l2 which preferably is in the form of a glass panel mounted on the insulated lower front wall I4 of the case. The upper edge I8 of the glass panel I2 v is located at a convenient height to enable customers to reach into the display space to remove articles therefrom. 'I'he ends of the display space 2 are dened in part by the glass panels I8 and in part by the insulating end members 20 of the case which extend downward and cooperate with the lower front Wall portion I4 to enclose the lower storage chamber 4 of the case.- The rear of the display space is formed by the insulated rear' wall 22 of the case which also forms the rear wall of the storage chamber. The base 24 of the case is insulated so that the storage chamber is insulated about the sides and bottom but provided with a heat conducting top 6 over which cooled airis circulated to maintain articles in the storage chamber at a temperature at or below that of' articles in the display space. Access to the storage space 4 may be had through doors 26 which. as shown. are arranged in the lower front I4 of the case.

A vertical baille 28 cooperates with the rear wall 22 of the case to form a vertical air passage 30 within which refrigerating means such as a coil 32 having fins 34 is located. A layer of insulating material 36 is located between the baille 28 and the coil 32 to prevent over cooling and the condensation of moisture on the exposed face of the baille. A top piece 38 is mounted on the wall 22 of the case and projects forward therefrom above vthe upper edge of the baiile 28 to form an .upper air inlet 40 to the vertical passage 38. `The top piece 38 also serves as a support for a false top- 42 provided with a mirror 44 which is inclined at a -suitable angle to reflect the arti-cles in the display space and to support a reflector 45 and a light 45 in position for illuminating. the articles on display. v

The coil 32 and baiile 28 preferably extend throughout substantially the entire length of the case so as to provide an elongated inlet 40 in position to draw off air from the upper portion of the display space throughout the length thereof. Cool air is thus skimmed oi from near the top and is recirculated over the refrigerating coil before it has freely with the warm moist air above the display space. Any moist air which might tend to diffuse downward toward the articles on display is therefore deflected by the current of air passing to the inlet 40 and will deposit its excess moisture on the fins the refrigerated articles in the display space. The air contacting the articles on display is vtherefore only the relatively dry cool air owing upward through the perforate support 8.

I'he baille 28 extends downward parallel to the rear wall of the case and is formed with an opening 48 therein located near the center of the case below the imperforate member 6 at the top of the storage chamber. A fan 53 is located adjacent the opening 48 and communicates with an air distributing housing 52 in the form of a well having a forwardly inclined surface 53 for directing air upward through the air distributing housing. The upper side of the well is open at the top and cooperates with a horizontal baiile 54 which is spaced from the member 8 to direct air laterally vfrom the air distributing housing toward the opposite had an opportunity to mix yiss of the coil rather than on 4 at or below that at which the coil deilectlng members are preferably carried by th baille 28 and have their opposite edges spacei from the rear wall of the case so that liquid drip ping from the coil when defrosting the refrig erating unit can pass downward toward the basi of the case. The ends of the deiiecting member.` also are spaced from the opening 48 so that liquic caughtthereby will drip down to the base of the case whereas the lower edge of the baille 281: spaced a short distance from the upper face oi the base of the case as shown at 58 so that liquic' mayow forward from the passage 38 to a drain 60 located near the front of the case and within the storage chamber 4. A drain 62 is also 1ocated near the front of the member 3 for conducting water to the pipe 54 and drain 58 when washing or cleaning the perforate member 8 or other parts of the display space.

With this construction air is circulated and distributed so that it ows upward through the display space 2 and about the articles therein filling the display space with cool dry air and driving warm moist air from the atmosphere above the open top of the display space upward and away from the cooled articles on display. Moisture from the atmosphere therefore cannot come into contact with or condense on the goods and the air in the upper portion of the display space and containing any moisture which may have diffused thereinto is drawn off and passed to the refrigerating means before it is circulated through the display space so that any excess moisture acquired from the vatmosphere is condensed on the coils and ns of the refrigerating means and is not brought into contact with the articles on display. Furthermore,.by circulating the air positively and upwardly at a velocity of approximately 100 feet per minute or more diffusion or downward circulation of moist air into contact with the goods is prevented. Moreover, the use of bafiies or other means for insuring upward ow of air throughout all portions of the display space serves to prevent the formation of eddy currents which might otherwise cause moist air to come into contact with the goods in the corners or other particular areas of the display space. The positive circulation of air also renders it impossible for air from the atmosphere to be drawn down into the case due to back siphoning resulting from the introduction into the display space of frozen foods or other pre-cooled articles at temperatures 32 is operated. Interruption or variations in the the air in the display space and the tendency for moisture to deposit on the goods are thus eliminated altogether and the products are maintained in a dry sanitary condition indefinitely.

'Ihe ow of cooled air from the coil 32 through the housing 52 and over the member 6 also serves to cool the air within the storage space 4 so that the temperature of the goods awaiting ltransfer to the display space is reduced to approximately e same temperature as the articles on display.

th ends of the `case and through Then, when it is desired to replenish the supply of rate of ow of i articles in the display space, the new goods taken from the storage chamber will already be cooled to a temperature substantially the same as that of the air in the display space so that rapid and In some instances it is desirable t9 provide positive circulation of air through `the storage chamy ber also and it also may be preferable to rely upon this air circulation `rather than conduction through the member 6 which forms the top of the storage chamber.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4 this is acduce substantially uniform upward flow of air,

through said perforate support and display space.,

2. A refrigerated display casel comprising an elongated display space which is open at the top for access to customers and closed at the bottom and about the front, back and end walls of said complished by insulating the top member 56 of the storage chamber as shown at 58 and by forming air channels for the ow of air from the centrally located air distributing housing 52 toward the opposite ends of the storagechamber. For this purpose the inclined wall 53 of the housing 52 is provided with an opening 10 having an adjustable closure 12. The ends of the top member 66 are spaced from the insulating end members to form air outlets 14 through which air from the storage chamber may pass upward into the air chamber ill beneath the perforate support 8.

With this construction a portion of the air cooled by passage over the coil 32 is caused to ilow from the air distributing housing 52 directly to the air chamber I0 beneath the perforate support 8, whereas another portion of the cooled air passes from the housing 52 through the opening 1U and thence flows lengthwise of the case to the air outlets 14 through which the air passes to the chamber I0. The. amount of'air owing through each path? may be varied by changing the position of the adjustable closure 12 and when operating as described with reference to the construction illustrated in Fig. 2 the closure 12 may com` pletely cover the opening 10 as shown in Fig. 3.

In each of the forms of my invention illustrated the air is positively circulated and so distributed that uniformity of flow is assured and the deposition of moisture on the articles in the display space is prevented. Moreover, fluctuations in temperature and variations in operation due to external atmospheric conditions are eliminated. While I have shown and described preferred embodiments of my invention it will be understood that numerous changes and modifications may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the elements, and in View thereof it should be understood that the embodiments of my invention herein shown and described is intended to be illustrative only and is not intended to limit the scope of my invention.

I claim:

space, a perforate support spaced from the bottom of said space and cooperating therewith to form.

an air chamber, a baille extending substantially the full length of the back wall of said space and spaced from said back wall to form an elongated air passage presenting `an elongated upper inlet opening located below the upper edges of the walls of said space, the lower end of said passage communicating with said air chamber, a refrigerating coil located in said passage, a blower located near the center of said air chamber for drawing air through said inlet opening and over said coil to said chamber, and means for directing air from said blower toward the opposite ends of said case 'to produce substantially uniform upward ilow of air through said perforate support and display space.

3. A refrigerated display case having an upi per display space which is open at the top for access to customers and a lower storage space which is closed about the sides and provided with a door to permit access thereto, heat conductingmeans separating the topV of p the storage space from said display space, a perforate support spaced from said heat conducting means and cooperating therewith to form an air chamber, said display space having side walls extendingabove the perforate support, means forming an air passage located adjacent one of said side walls and having an inlet located adjacent to but below the level of the upper edges of said side walls and having an outlet located below said perforate support an-d communicating with said air chamber, refrigerating means located in said passage for cooling air passing therethrough, thermal insulatingmeanspositioned between said refrigerating means and the side wall of the display space adjacent to said air passage, and means for positively circulating air from the display space through said air passage from said inlet to said 1. A refrigerated display case having means forming a display space which is open at the top for access to customers and closed about the sides and bottom, a perforate support spaced from said bottom and cooperating therewith to form an air chamber, a baille spaced from one side of said displayspace and extending from a point below the upper edges of the other sides of said space to a point below said perforate support to f orm an air circulating passage, a cooling coil located in said passage, means for positively circulating air downward through said passagel over said coil and into said air chamber, and means for directing the air laterally in said air chamber to prooutlet and through saidA air chamber in heat exchanging relationl withsaid heat conducting means and thencethrough said perforate support back to said display space.

4. A refrigerated display case having an upper display space which is openat the top for access to customers and a lower storage space which'is closed about the front and ends of the case and provided with a door in said front to permit access to the storage space, heat conducting means extending overthe top of the storage space and separating the storage space from the displayA space, a perforate support spaced from saidl heat conducting means and cooperating therewith to form an air chamber extending throughout substantially the entire top of .said storage space, said display space having front and end walls extending above said perforate support, a vertical baille member forming the rear wall of the display space. and having a heat conducting portion ex'- i tending downward below the top of the storage space and forming the rear wall of the storage space, said case having an insulated rear. wall' spaced from the baille member and cooperating therewith to form an air passage having an inlet l positioned adjacent to but below the level of the upper edges of the front and end walls of the display space, said baille member having an opening therein adjacent the storage space forming annuo opening therein communicating with the atome space and other means spaced from the latter opening providing communication between the storage space and the air chamber to provide for the circulation oi cooled air thx-011th the storno space and back to the display space.

t IM D. MMMABTER. REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record in the file of this patent:

- UNITED Bram PATENTS l0 Number Name v Date Lowell -.'...l July 21, 1942 Caulk Oct.13, 1942 Tull Feb. 9, 1943 

